Actually the Physicist album started off as the next Strapping album. But,something was not right about it becoming a Strapping album, so it morpheditself back into a Devin Townsend project, and rightfully so.

- Most obviously, it was recorded by the same people that are Strapping.

- Devin did have business problems with Century Media at the time (until they renegotiated and eventually released "SYL" a couple of years later), so maybe he didn't want to release an album through them back then; because AFAIK, it's only the band name "Strapping Young Lad" that is "signed" to Century Media.

- The musical style is vastly different from all of Devin's other "solo" albums. Though it's also not quite the same as Strapping's usual style, it is not that far removed from it. Actually, some songs would fit seamlessly onto a Strapping album. Maybe it would be fair to say that it's Strapping with some lighter parts thrown in, and a long atmospheric "Devin solo" piece at the end.

I describe Physicist as a cross between SYL and Infinity. I believe Infinity was also recorded with the SYL guys (at least the drummer), but that doesn't make it an SYL album.

Blazingmonga wrote:I seem to remember Dev saying how some of the material was written originally with SYL in mind, but that it evolved into its own thing.

I dont think of it as SYL-lite at all, Physicist is unique.

This is correct, from what I remember Devin said his intention was SYL, but the music that came out wasn't SYL material at all. I don't think Physicist sounds anything like SYL, though. It's fast and heavy, but other than that the similarities end for me.

I absolutely love Physicist as an album...it's more SYL than any other Dev solo album obviously, but I think there is enough of a distincition..whether it's because it's less angry as people have mentioned, I don't know, but it's something..I think it still has more of that happy/sad feeling that the solo work gives me, far more than any SYL album...but that's just me

I will add my .02 to say that I often view it as SYL-lite. It's all the aggression minus the angry aftertaste! Tastes great and it's less killing! Sorry, couldn't resist. But, it's clearly NOT SYL, even though in someways it looks like SYL. It just ain't.

GDiddy wrote:I describe Physicist as a cross between SYL and Infinity. I believe Infinity was also recorded with the SYL guys (at least the drummer), but that doesn't make it an SYL album.

Don't be comparing this to Infinity! There is a light year of difference between that masterpiece and this ho-hum good-album-for-most-people-but-ordinary-album-for-a-genius.....

Physicist is a great straight album. It's straight Dev, like SYL is straight SYL.

Greg, what's a good-album-for-a-genius like for most-people then? If you want to be consistent with your cheap elitism, you'd have to say incomprehensible, right?

I don't think fans should adopt the artist's opinion on his own albums, because the experience is totally different, or, to put in your words, there's a light year of difference between the experience of the artist and the experience of the fan. Physicist serves its purpose spot on, it's a great listen.

I love Infinity as what it is, and I love Physicist as what it is. Simple as that. IMO, both albums don't have any weak spots concerning the songwriting - so, again, when we say which one we like more it's a matter of T A S T E

Each to his own.

Goat wrote:I don't think fans should adopt the artist's opinion on his own albums, because the experience is totally different, or, to put in your words, there's a light year of difference between the experience of the artist and the experience of the fan. Physicist serves its purpose spot on, it's a great listen.

Physicist uses a handkerchief, but Strapping picks its nose and wipes it on your shirt.

Physicist is the concrete building, but Strapping is the stockbroker jumping from the 23rd floor.

Physicist is the quiet guy in the mailroom, and Strapping is the guy getting a blowjob in the corner office.

Physicist is a 5 o'clock shadow. Strapping is dreadlocks and a ZZTop beard.

Physicist is the Winter Olympics in Calgary in 1988. Strapping is the Summer Olympics in Munich in 1972.

If Devin was Francisco Goya, Physicist would be "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters". Strapping would be "Saturn Devouring His Son". Better yet, Physicist would be "The Clothed Maja" and Strapping would be "The Nude Maja".

Strapping is 10:37pm and 11 beers, Physicist is 2:56am and a Canadian Club and Dry.